Intro: Extract of Still Not Happy, John: Defending our Democracy (Penguin 2007) Democracy v. the Beast Her appeal was simply that she represented something authentic in a culture of artefact. She was transparent in an era during which the political class have become expert at concealment. She was a still point in a culture of spin. She advanced our politics even if it was only to the extent of showing us what we might be up against if we chose to get involved as she did. Maybe others will learn from her mistakes Webdiarist Dr Tim Dunlop, an opponent of Pauline Hanson’s policies I do not believe that the […]

On Friday, March 28, 2014, Tony Fitzgerald condemned Campbell Newman’s Liberal National Party (LNP) government for proposed changes to Queensland’s Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC). In a written submission to the parliamentary committee reviewing the bill, Mr Fitzgerald described the move as: “the final step needed to remove the Commission’s independence entirely and bring it completely under government control.” At an administrative level, the Crime and Misconduct and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (2014) removes the need for bipartisanship approval between the government and the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee (PCMC) to appoint a CMC chairperson. The bill would also create a new position of chief executive officer (CEO). While all commissioners are […]

View Larger Map This @NoFibs Electoral Map is kindly provided by Paul Davis Higgins Seat Profile by Georgie Moore 24th June 2013 One of the Liberal Party’s safest Victorian seats, Higgins (formed in 1948—49) has hosted a string of high-profile representatives: including Harold Holt (1949—1967), John Gorton (1968—1975) and Peter Costello (1990—2009). With incumbent MP Kelly O’Dwyer set to retain a 5.4% margin (post the 2010 election and pre-redistribution the margin was 6.8%). Higgins is largely neglected by the media and political cycle. But I’m interested in exploring what a blue-ribbon seat looks like during an election campaign. Is the seat so safe there isn’t any substantial debate? Are the local Leader […]

Queensland Liberals are taking a leaf out of the Howard-Costello playbook on crunching free speech for charities and non-government organisations. Just after we published my book chapter on Howard’s multi-pronged attack on free speech led by the IPA, readers advised that Campbell Newman was copying Howard’s policy of gagging NGOs who received government funding. Federal Labor removed Howard’s gag clauses when it came to power, and has now introduced legislation to ban them in federal government contracts with NGOs. It will be fascinating to see how the Coalition votes, given its outspoken rejection of strengthened self regulation by the mainstream media, and its support for blatant abuses of power by Murdoch […]